Fuse



G. P. MDQNNELL FUSE I enea New. 1e. 192s f: Y Il Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

PATE

ortica.

GEORGE P. MCDNNELL'OF ST. LGUIS, MISSOURI, ASSEGNR T0 ECONMY FUSE & MAN? s UFACTURING C0., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOES, A GORPRTIQN Olli YORK.

FUSE.

Application led November 16, 1923. Seriallo. 675,053.

rlFhis invention relates vto a new and improved fusennd more particularly to means associated with a fuse for selectively indieating the condition or capacity of the fuse. Certain types of fuses now in use are known as renewable in that the body portion of the fuse can be dismantled sufficiently to remove a burned out fuse element and replace it with a new element. Such fuses result in considerable economy since the fusible element represents but a small part of the cost of the entire fuse. The fusible elements are made in a large variety of capacities and a single size of fuse casing is capable .of containing any one of a series of varying re- .sistances with quite a wide difference in rating.

1n numerous types of these fuses the fusible element is not readily visible and it isI impossible to easily ascertain the value of the fusible element contained 1n the casing.y

vlt is also impossible to easily ascertain whether or not the fusible element is burned out. Consequently, the mere external eX- f aininati'on'of such a fuse cartridge will not enable the user'fto know its capacity or condition. '.lhe fuse may contain a' fusible ele ment of higher or lower rating than that desired which might permit an undesirable load before blowing, or on the other hand, might blow before permitting passage of the desired amount of current.

-lt is an object of the present invention to provide a means associated with a renewable fuse whereby the condition or capacity of the fuse may be readily indicated.

y 1t is a further object to provide a construction of this character in which the indication may be selectively changed to colrectly indicate the value of any fusible ele- -ment which may bel placed in the casing or to indicate that the fuse is burned out.

lt is also an object to provide a device of this character in which the indicating means is permanently associated with the fuse and adapted for easy and rapid manipulation'.

lt is a further object to provide a device of this. character which is simple in design and construction and which may be commercially manufactured at small Icost.

@ther and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

l have ,illustrated certain preferred em- Figure 4 as seen from above.

pasted around the fuse body 11hv bodiments of my invention the acco'm-'f panying drawings in 'whichvFigure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my invention;

. Figure 2 is a -view similar to showing a slight modification;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a further modiied form; and

Figure 5 is a view of the formy shown in All forms of fuses shown are of the cartridge type and comprise'a main fuse body 11 having ferrules 12 at each end,I The fusible element 13, shown in cross section in lligure 3, is secured in place in the cartridge by means or" the screw plugs 14. ylhis construction is a usual one and forms no part of the present invention, h Y

1n the form of construction shown in Fie"-n ures 1 to 3, an inner label member 15A is Fitting around this label 15 is the movable cylinder 16 which cylinder in Figure l provided with the rectangular opening 17. ln the ad yures%2 and 3 is similar to that just described with the exception that instead of the rectangular opening 17, apair of circular openings 18 is provided. As shown in Figure 2, the indicia B appear signifying Burned out. ln the form shown in Figures 4 and 5, the fuse body has xedly secured thereto .a label 19 upon which appear the words Blow out and a series of'ligures extending circumferentially of the fuse. These figures represent amperes of capacity of fusible elementswhich may be plaoed'in the fuse.

The spring clip is sprung around one of the ferrules 12 as shown in Figures 4`and `Figure l,

5. This clip is formed of conducting material and is provided with indicator pointer 21. The clip 2O may be rotated to bringthe pointer 21 opposite any desired figure in the series u `on the fuse body.

It wi l be understood that in the forms of construction shown in Figures 1 to 3, a series of figures, or figures accompanied by the.

word Amperes or an abbreviation thereof. will be printed upon the inner label which is secured to vthe fuse body. Consequently, in Figure 1 the memberI 16 ma be rotated to permit the words 5 amperes or some other number of amperes to appear instead of t'he word Burned outl. `Similarly in the form shown in Figurev 2, the member 16 may be rotated to permit a figure to appear in the openino` 18 in which the letter' B appears in the drawing andato permit a letter A7 or the abbreviation Amp appear in the opening 18 upon which the letter 0. appears inl filled, member 16 is turned to make Visible the designation of the proper rating of the new element inserted.

The form shown in Figure 4 is used in a similar manner, the clip 2O being rotated to cause the pointer 21 to indicate properly. As has been stated, the clip 20 is formed of conducting material so that it will not interfere with the iow of the current and -the operation of the fuse holding members engage the clip rather than the fuse ferrules.

While I have shown certain preferred embodiments of my invention it is capable of further modification and I ycontemplate such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a renewable fuse containing a single fusible element, a plurality of indicia adapted to indicate the value of the fusible element and a member adapted to indicate one of said indicia, said member being independent of the renewable fuse structure and said indicia and indicating member being movable relative to each other.

2. In combination with a renewable fuse of the cartridgetype, a plurality of indicia carried by the fuse body and adapted to indicate the value of the fusible element in the body, and a rotatable sleeve carried by the body and adapte-d to selectively indicate one of said indicia, said sleeve being independent of the "structure of the fuse itself.

3. In combination with a renewable fuse of the cartridge type, a plurality of indicia carried by the fuse body and adapted to indicate the value of the fusiblezelement in the body, and a rotatable sleeve carried by the body and adapted'to selectively expose one only of said indicia, said sleeve being independent of the structure of the fuse itself.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 1st day of October, 1923.

GEORGE PQMCDONNELL. 

